Brands
Yamaha Motor India names Hajime Aota as chairman from 2026
MUMBAI: Yamaha Motor India has appointed Hajime Aota as its new chairman, with the role taking effect from January 1, 2026. Aota steps into the position with a reputation as a long-term strategist and growth architect, bringing with him decades of experience across corporate planning, new ventures and global business development within the Yamaha ecosystem and beyond.
Currently serving as chief strategy officer at Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Aota has played a key role in shaping the company’s future-facing agenda, spanning advanced technologies, venture investments and new business models. His career includes senior leadership roles in corporate planning and innovation at Yamaha, chairing Yamaha Motor Ventures in Silicon Valley, and board positions at technology-led firms such as Tier IV and River. Before Yamaha, he held multiple general management roles at Mitsui & Co. across Japan, the UK and global markets.
With this appointment, Yamaha Motor India signals a sharper focus on strategic depth, innovation and international alignment as it navigates an increasingly competitive and fast-evolving mobility landscape. Aota’s blend of financial acumen, venture experience and technology-led thinking positions him to guide the Indian business through its next phase of growth, with a steady hand and an eye firmly on the road ahead.
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
